"If you can't solve a problem, it's because you're playing by the rules." Paul Arden

Another reason Jason Calacanis is a player: he appreciates talent. By now you have heard Amanda and Rocketboom are estranged (WaPo coverage here - the usual good writing by Sara Kehaulani Goo). Jason wastes no time in making her an offer...in the open, online...

So, my offer to you is do your daily report for Netscape and we'll pay you whatever you need to get paid AND you can own all of the rights to your video forever (just give us like a six month exclusive window on Netscape). We will set you up with our kick-ass studios, get you an office, and I've got a full-time video editor at your disposal (i.e. they can go with you anywhere). Also, we'll set up a travel budget so you can go cover whatever stories you want.

You're a star baby... it's time to be treated like one.

Kudos Jason, very smart move. Jason's Amanda blog entry here. Good luck Amanda.

Steve Safran writes "Rocketboom jumps the snark...Without Amanda, Rocketboom is just another podcast." More with comments here

Without talent you ain't got a show. Talent is perhaps the greatest of all proprietary intangibles. "The monopoly of personality" as my friend Mark Masters often says. WBZ legend Commander Larry Glick enjoyed a commanding lead in the Boston DMA but he also had an audience in 32 states, Canada and the better part of the western EU every night he was on. They tuned in to hear the Commander; our research showed the station was, in fact, "talent driven." When he was on vacation our listenership dropped off. As PJ says "In all of art, it's the singer, not the song."

Microsoft ready to bow its version of iPod? That's the buzz. Great send up of Microsoft package goods design, while it lasts, highly recommended, via YouTube here